Table cloth holding device



Dec. 13, 1966 M. P. HANSON 3,290,743

TABLE CLOTH HOLDING DEVICE Filed Oct. 22, 1965 FIE5 IIH I, I 11 W 19 i[W W316 ullw mll'm FIE 4 47' TUBA/145 United' States Patent l 3,290,743TABLE CLOTH HOLDING DEVICE Maynard P. Hanson, 2511 McKinley St. NE.,Minneapolis, Minn. Filed Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 502,106 3 Claims. (Cl.24-81) This invention relates to a table clot-h holding device forholding and retaining table cloths on picnic tables and the like, andthis application is a continnation-in-part of application Serial No.300,352, filed August 6, 1963 and now abandoned.

An object of this invention is .to provide a table cloth holding deviceincluding a resilient flexible table cloth engaging member having tableclamping means secured to opposite ends thereof when engaging the edgesof a picnic table to releasably clamp the table cloth on the table top.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a novel andimproved table cloth holding device including a :pair of elongate tablecloth engaging members each adaptedto extend transversely of a picnictable adjacent the respective ends thereof to engage the upper surfaceof the table cloth, for holding the same against the table top, eachtable cloth engaging member being formed of flexible resilient materialand each having a pair of clamping elements at opposite ends thereof forengagement in damp ing relation with the table top.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fullyappear from the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings,

wherein like character reference refer to the same or similar partsthroughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my invention showing my table clothholding device in clamped relation with respect to a table cloth thathas been applied to a conventional picnic table,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the table clothholding device,

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view illustrating one of the table topgripping members, and

FIG. 4 is a plan view on the same scale as FIG. 3 of one of the tabletop gripping members.

Referring now to the drawings it will be seen that one embodiment of mytable cloth holding device, designated generally by the referencenumeral 10, is thereshown. Referring to FIG. 1 it will be seen that thetable cloth holding device as illustrated in clamping relation withrespect to a table cloth T has been applied to the table top 12 of aconventional picnic table 11. It will be noted that the table top 12 isof conventional substantially flat rectangular configuration and isprovided with conventional legs 13 which are secured to and depend fromthe table cloth 12. The table top T is also of rectangular configurationand is preferably dimensionally larger than the table top 12 so that theperipheral portions thereof extend beyond and hang from the edges 14 ofthe table top 12. To this end, itwill be noted that edges 12 arevertically disposed and are arranged in substantially right angularrelation with respect to the upper surface of the table top 12.

The table top holding device 10 includes a substantially flat elongatetable cloth engaging member 15 which is formed of an elastic flexiblefabric material and is longitudinally adjustable through stretching foraccommodating picnic table tops whose widths may vary. The table topcloth engaging member 15 as best seen in FIG. 1 is oriented transverselyof the table top 12 and is applied against the table cloth for retainingthe same against substantially the entire width of the table top. Asshown, two such table cloth holding devices are used under normalcircumstances and are preferably applied to the table top adjacentopposite ends thereof.

3,290,743 Patented Dec. 13, 1966 Means are provided at opposite ends ofeach table cloth engaging member 15 for clamping engagement with thelongitudinal edges of the table top 12. This means includes for eachtable cloth engaging member 15 a pair of retaining members 16. Each ofthese retaining members 16 are preferably formed of a suitable metallicmaterial and each includes a substantially flat attachment portion 17having an edge engaging portion 18 integrally formed therewith anddisposed substantially normal to the general plane of the attachmentportion 17. Although the edge engaging portion and attachment portion 17are disposed in substantially right angular relationships, it will benoted that these portions are interconnected by an intermediate arcuateportion 19 for the purpose of minimizing wear to the table cloth.

The edge engaging portion 18 of each retaining member 16 is arcuatelybent at its lowermost end as at 20 and a clamping portion 21 extendsupwardly and inwardly therefrom having an arcua-te table engagingsurface 22 at its innermost end. It will be noted that the clampingportion 21 terminates in a downwardly projecting finger engaging portion23 to facilitate release of the retaining member from clamped relationwith respect to the table top 12. To this end, it is pointed out thatthe table cloth T will be clamped against the upper surface of the tabletop 12 by the lower surface of the attachment portion 17 while the lowersurface of the table top 12 will be engaged by the clamping surface 22of the clamping portion 21. It will be seen that the inner end of theattachment portion 17 of each retaining member 16 is provided with aplurality of slots 24 therein which are disposed in substantiallyparallel relation with respect to each other and through which the endsof the table cloth engaging member are looped to releasably butpositively interconnect the table cloth engaging member with theseretaining members.

When the table cloth retaining device is applied to 2 picnic table tohold a table cloth against displacement, as pointed out above, a pair ofsuch devices are preferably used for most conventional picnic tables.The table cloth engaging member 15 of each device is preferably adjustedso that the member 15 will require stretching to permit clampingattachment of the clamping retaining member 16 to the marginal portionsof the table. It will be seen that the respective end portions of thetable cloth engaging member 15 may be readily adjusted with respect tothe retaining member 16 whereby when the member 15 is stretched, thesame will be retained in a clamped, somewhat tensioned condition againstthe table cloth to press the same against the upper surface of the tabletop 12. A cooperation of the attachment portion 17 with respect to theclamping portion 21 permits the retaining members to clampingly engagethe edge portion of the table top and these table cloth retainingdevices are very effective for clamping and retaining a table clothagainst the picnic table top even when the table cloth is subjected torelatively strong winds. It will also be noted, that because of the flatprofile of the table cloth engaging members 15, and the substantiallyco-planar relation of the attachment portions 17 with respect thereto,no undesirable obstructions are presented to interfere with normal useof the table. The finger engaging portion 23 facilitates removal of thedevice from the table top with a minim-um of effort.

It will, therefore, be seen that I have provided a novel table clothholding device which is not only of simple and inexpensive construction,but one which functions in a more efficient manner than any heretoforeknown comparable device.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various partswithout departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A table cloth holding device for releasably holding a table cloth onthe table top of a picnic table and in which the table cloth is of agreater Width than the width of the table top, said device comprising anelongate substantially flat one piece table cloth engaging member formedof resilient flexible material and being adapted to extend transverselyof the picnic table to engage the upper surface of the table cloth toclamp the same upon the picnic table, said table cloth engaging memberpresenting a continuous uninterrupted planar upper surface when appliedto a table,

a pair of retaining members each being releasably connected to one endof said table cloth engaging member and each including a substantiallyflat attachment portion having slots in one end thereof, each end ofsaid table cloth engaging member being looped and received within theslotted end of the attachment portion of each retaining member and beingadjustable relative to the latter,

each retaining member including an edge engaging portion integrallyformed with the associated attachment portion and disposed in dependingsubstantially right angular relation therewith for engaging the edge ofthe table,

a clamping portion integrally formed with the lower end of said edgeengaging portion and extending laterally and upwardly therefrom towardsaid associated attachment portion and presenting an arcuate engagingsurface for engaging the lower surface of the table top and a thumbengaging portion integrally formed with said clamping portion anddepending therefrom.

2. The table cloth holding device as defined in claim 1 and arcuateportions interconnecting said edge engaging portion with said attachmentportion and clamping portion of each retaining member.

3. The table cloth holding device as defined in claim 1 wherein saidfinger engaging portion of each retaining member is disposed insubstantially parallel relation with respect to the associated edgeengaging portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 116,013 6/1871Birkenhead 24-72.5

471,919 3/1892 Walker. 1,508,643 9/ 1924 Brokaw 24-73 1,519,854 12/1924Lockwood 2473 2,589,348 3/ 1952 Diefenbach. 2,936,992 5/1960 Browning248--361 3,072,376 1/1963 Bhend 248361 3,089,211 5/1963 Perusse 24-2593,182,804 5/1965 Chades 248-361 FOREIGN PATENTS 226,361 12/ 1924 GreatBritain.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Examiner.

1. A TABLE CLOTH HOLDING DEVICE FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING A TABLE CLOTH ONTHE TABLE TOP OF A PICNIC TABLE AND IN WHICH THE TABLE CLOTH IS OF AGREATER WIDTH THAN THE WIDTH OF THE TABLE TOP, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING ANELONGATE SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT ONE PIECE TABLE CLOTH ENGAGING MEMBER FORMEDOF RESILIENT FLEXIBLE MATERIAL AND BEING ADAPTED TO EXTEND TRANSVERSELYOF THE PICNIC TABLE TO ENGAGE THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE TABLE CLOTH TOCLAMP THE SAME UPON THE PICINC TABLE, SAID TABLE CLOTH ENGAGING MEMBERPRESENTING A CONTINUOUS UNINTERRUPTED PLANAR UPPER SURFACE WHEN APPLIEDTO A TABLE, A PAIR OF RETAINING MEMBERS EACH BEING RELEASABLY CONNECTEDTO ONE END OF SAID TABLE CLOTH ENGAGING MEMBER AND EACH INCLUDING ASUBSTANTIALLY FLAT ATTACHMENT PORTION HAVING SLOTS IN ONE END THEREOF,EACH END OF SAID TABLE CLOTH ENGAGING MEMBER BEING LOOPED AND RECEIVEDWITHIN THE SLOTTED END OF THE ATTACHMENT PORTION OF EACH RETAININGMEMBER AND BEING ADJUSTABLE RELATIVE TO THE LATTER, EACH RETAININGMEMBER INCLUDING AN EDGE ENGAGING PORTION INTEGRALLY FORMED WITH THEASSOCIATED ATTACHMENT PORTION AND DISPOSED IN DEPENDING SUBSTANTIALLYRIGHT ANGULAR RELATION THEREWITH FOR ENGAGING THE EDGE OF THE TABLE, ACLAMPING PORTION INTEGRALLY FORMED WITH THE LOWER END OF SAID EDGEENGAGING PORTION AND EXTENDING LATERALLY AND UPWARDLY THEREFROM TOWARDSAID ASSOCIATED ATTACHMENT PORTION AND PRESENTING AN ARCUATE ENGAGINGSURFACE FOR ENGAGING THE LOWER SURFACE OF THE TABLE TOP AND A THUMPENGAGING PORTION INTEGRALLY FORMED WITH SAID CLAMPING PORTION ANDDEPENDING THEREFROM.